The Louisville Lightning open their 2010-2011 campaign this Friday against the Cincinnati Kings, and the team is preparing for their opponents by signing two Cincinnati stars. Scott Stockum and Tommy Clines, who both played collegiately in the Queen City, have joined the Louisville Lightning on a one-year deal. The team also re-signed defender Patrick Bueno to a new deal this week.

Patrick Bueno is back for season two with the Lightning, club management announced today. The defender played in nine games for the Lightning last season, scoring four goals and adding one assist. A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Bueno played for London City of the Canadian Soccer League before joining the Lightning.

Before joining the Canadian club, Bueno played college soccer at Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky. A four-year captain at the school, Bueno was named Second Team All-Conference in 2005 and Third Team All-Conference in 2004 and 2007. The 24-year-old also played club soccer for St. Giles Revolution, SF Mutiny, and Lexington Wanderers previously. At Union, Bueno played in 70 matches, starting 67 of those. "He helped us at Union build this program into something we can be proud of," his former head coach Tyler Brock said of Bueno.

Bueno scored twice in a London City victory over TFC Academy in August 2009 en route to a 6-3 victory. His 13th-minute score and a 29th-minute penalty helped the team pull out the win, with Bueno leading the team in scoring. Now the versatile defender and midfielder is back for season two with the Lightning.

CLightning management also agreed to terms with Tommy Clines early this week. Clines played previously with Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, as well as Louisville's Javanon Soccer Club and Mockingbird Valley Soccer Club and the Cincinnati Kings. Clines transferred to Xavier from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he began his collegiate career. He was a captain at Mockingbird from 2000-2005, and the versatile Clines started as a forward on the national champion Javanon 87 Club Team in 2006. He also played high school soccer for Louisville's Saint Xavier High School, winning two state championships.

During his sophomore and junior seasons at Xavier, Clines started every match but two for the Musketeers. With Clines in defense, Xavier registered six clean sheets and held their opponents to one goal or less on nine occasions in 2007. It was the fewest goals allowed by the team since 1984. At Javanon, Clines played alongside Lightning teammates Adam Boyer, Chad Hagerty, and Darren Yeagle.

The Lightning also inked attacking midfielder and forward Scott Stockum to a deal this week. Stockum played collegiately at Cincinnati State University before transferring to the University of Cincinnati of the Big East Conference.

Stockum was a NJCAA All-American and a two-year starter at Cincinnati State before joining the Bearcats. At Fairfield High School in Fairfield, Ohio, Stockum led the Greater Miami Conference in goals (13) and assists (nine) as a high school senior. Stockum saw action in 15 games with the University of Cincinnati in 2007. Stockum's brother, David, played college soccer at the University of Louisville.